Ta Ta"
by Feazle
Summary: PG for a few minor words. Clarice goes to visit the good doctor in the hospital who is about to face lethal injection...this is short and VERY sweet , please read and review.


"Fine , Fine , just get the hell out , will you?"  
  
The annoyed officer pressed a key card into Starling's hand and gestured roughly in the direction of a heavy white door. He retreated back to the desk set up by the open doorway in the pure white room and gave her a firm glare before returning to , what Clarice strongly suspected was , his book keeping. She gave a sad look towards it , remembering the secretary jobs she had been assigned to not a year ago , and walked through the door.  
  
As she deftly slipped the little card through slots and flashed it to awaiting officers , following signs , Clarice's mind wandered endlessly. It was not on the old prison hospital she was trekking through , but in the part of her mind Doctor Lecter had transferred into an inadvert memory palace. Her wall of Lecter evidence in her basement office , taken down and filed in her new , sixth floor office , The face of Hannibal staring back at her almost accusingly. The simple brush of their fingers in Nashville…The night on the chesapeake.  
  
Passing down a longer , narrow hallway where the words "land of the lost halls" had been scratched into a wall with a cheap pen , She closed her eyes and took a deep breath , opening them to turn a corner.  
  
The Chesapeake. It was still fresh in her mind. Krendler's open scull…PAUL's open scull…Krendler eating his own lobe…it was as if he wasn't even there. Wasn't alive. Wasn't HUMAN.  
  
Krendler had managed to live strangely enough…though by his families wishes he had died of lethal injection. They couldn't bare to see him like he was…a body without a soul…dead to the world but very much alive in his own universe.  
  
This brought Clarice back to reality. Lethal injection…this after noon…Doctor Lecter…no , he wasn't Doctor Lecter , He was HANNIBAL. She screwed her face up bravely , trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall , and walked towards the door where she knew he was being held.  
  
Not a part of it was her fault , But Clarice knew it was.  
  
"Would you ever say to me , Stop. If you love me you'll stop?"  
  
"Not In a thousand years."  
  
"Not in a thousand years…That's my girl…"  
  
The words echoed throughout her mind and Clarice , though aware that Doctor Lecter's superior hearing and smelling abilities could penetrate the cold stone walls , stopped outside his door , leaning her forehead on her wall as she held it.  
  
"Not in a thousand years…Not in a thousand year…" Her voice cracked slightly and she gave a ragged sigh , attempting to compose herself.  
  
"Not in a damn thousand years…Clarice Starling what the hell were you thinking? All your damn fault…you know it…" She muttered , standing. The anger at herself seemed to fuel strength in her and she placed her hand firmly on the door handle , yanking out. But it was automatic , and gave her nothing but a warning.  
  
"Your security pass card , please." The automated overly used womans voice commanded. Clarice glare at the lock , more so to it's sorry attmept to comfort her and thrust the card into it , pulling it out.  
  
"Th…" The door began to thank her but Clarice already threw it open , stepped inside , and slammed it shut behind her. She shook her head and turned around. There was Doctor Lecter , laying in his bed.  
  
Or rather strapped. His arm was hooked up to an I.V. , which was feeding him and giving him calming medications , so no poor high school attendent had to come and tend to his needs , he was dressed in the normal prison black jumpsuit , and ws clearly strapped in place. A heart monitor recorded his heart rate , silent as his heart remained calm.  
  
"As , Clarice." Hannibal smiled , despite his situation.  
  
"Doctor Lecter." Clarice nodded , walking over to him. His room looked like a normal hospital room , except for the loss of the television and restroom. Not to mention something warm and comforting , such as carpet or a pillow. She observed his awful state sadly. "They don't treat you well enough here."  
  
He continued to smile.  
  
"Clarice , it does not matter. It is a few short hours of this suffering."  
  
She sighed deeply , pulling up a chair from the desk to sit next to him.  
  
"How can you talk about this so casually , Doctor Lecter? You are not apprehensive at all , are you?"  
  
"My Clarice , You must view this from the eyes of an old man. The only regrets I have are that this will be my last glimpse of your face…I hoped you would visit me. I'm proud , you do not quit."  
  
She sighed " Quit what , Doctor Lecter?"  
  
"Clarice , do me the favour of calling me by my name , please. I know you can. We are far past 'Doctor Lecter' and 'Agent Starling'. Twelve years must of bought us some closeness , hmm?"  
  
"Doct…Hannibal , you have no idea how much closeness it has brought. Everytime…"  
  
"Oh Clarice ," He interrupted , and she was beginning to suspect he was saying her name as often as possible. "I have every idea. Bealive me."  
  
She looked down now , trying to remember the speeches she had practiced so much on her trip from Washington D.C.  
  
"Please…Doctor Lecter…Tell me one thing."  
  
He excused the Doctor reference and nodded "Yes , Clarice. Never another time."  
  
She nodded "On the chesapeake…you asked me…" Clarice paused , her voice cracking slightly in her next sentence , "Would you ever say to me , Stop. If you love me you'll stop?" Clarice turned her eyes down from his almost confused. "Doctor…why did you ask me? Please tell me…It was confusing. I wondered if you were taunging me…if you were laughing inside…if you achtually did love me."  
  
Hannibal sighed deeply.  
  
"Oh Clarice , Of course I love you. Those who don't are blind. You should know I love you…Why do you think Paul Krendler ever came to his death? He was scum upon our earth , and he was ruining our Angels."  
  
She looked back up , silent. Hannibal layed back and they share a moment of unsaid conversation , each person lost in their own memory palace. Hannibal's large and vast , Clarice's small and dusty. Doctor Lecter heaved a sigh and closed his eyes as memories of Mischa , from grande to terrifying , flashed through his mind like movies of a lost existance. Un reality. What is lost but yet you can not lose.  
  
"Clarice , " His voice pierced the silence , sad. "Now that I lie here awaiting my death , what do you think? What does the back of your mind say? Do you fear for my salvation? My place above or below?"  
  
She sighed , resting her head in her hands to massage her temples , looking back up as someone else slipped their card inside the slot outside.  
  
"No , Hannibal."  
  
He cracked a grin.  
  
"That's my girl."  
  
And leaned up to meet Clarice's lips in a quick , but kind , kiss. The attendent who had walked in to retrieve Hannibal gasped and grab Clarice's arm , pulling her away. He only saw her lean down , thinking Hannibal was looking for a 'pre-nap' snack.  
  
"Miss Starling! He's dangerous!" The young man exclaimed. Clarice smiled at Hannibal , who smirked and watched the young man , with the name "Tony" on a nametag on his chest , behind to push the bed out.  
  
"Alright , Tony , take us away. I will see you later , Clarice , I have a bit of unfinished buisiness to attend to." Hannibal smiled at her and she followed them out of the room , watching Hannibal be pushed down the hall from the back of 'Tony' .  
  
"Ta Ta." His voice ricocheted down the hall to her , and the words repeated themselves in her brain. Somewhere , Clarice knew he would go back on that word. This was not a situation in which you said "ta ta" , this was a situation where you say "hello". But it still echoed , as Clarice turned in the opposite direction and walked down the hallway , wondering if in fact the needle would go any where near him today.  
  
And down the halls of her memory palace , though lost as it was , the word echoed…  
  
"Ta Ta" 


End file.
